Liquid fuel burner and method of atomizing liquids



Oct. 13, 1931. c. o. GUNTHER LIQUID FUEL BURNER AND METHOD OF ATOMIZING LIQUIDS Filed July 20, 1928 INVENTOR CHARLES C. GUNTHER ATTORNEY Patented 13, 1931 U ITED STATES I CHARLES 0. GUNTHER, O GRAND VIEW-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK LIQUD FUEL BURNER AND METHOD OF ATOMIZING HQUIDB Application filed July 20, 1928. Serial No. 294,091.

The invention relates to a method of atomizing liquids and to liquid fuel burning apparatus for carrying out the novel method, more particularly to a burner member adapted for the burning of heavy fuel oils.

It has for its ob'ect to most e fiectively atomize a liquid, as uel oil, and to construct a burner suitable for this purpose such that the same shall have no moving parts and, also one which will operate to burn heavy fuel oils economically and at relatively low pressures as well as without the necessity of preheating.

The nature oi the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the novel burner in side elevation, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal swtion through the burner.

Figs. 4, 5 andfi are vertical sections taken respectively on the lines i i, 5-5 and e-c, Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of the atomizin disks utilized in the novel burner.

ieierring to the drawings, a simple n all bodiment of invention is illustrated, the burner being constructed for example, of cylindrical tubular body 10 having the oilsupplying base or plug 11 which may be re movably fitted thereto at one end, as b bein threaded therein, and at the opposite end having removably threaded therein the nozzle or cap member 12 and preferably flaring.

' The body 10 is axially bored through to provide a passageway 13, preferably of substantially uniform diameter throughout, except that in the larger capacity burners it terminates at the oil end in a portion 14 of reduced cross-sectional area.

The oil base 11 is also provided with an inlet duct 15 shown in the present embodiment coaxial with the passageway 13 and its reduced portion 14, the fuel being adapted to be delivered from a suitable source (not shown) through a pipe or the like 16 threaded into the oil base 11 and communicating with its inlet duct 15.

Communication of the oil or fuel, however,

is not had directly with the passageway 13 for there is interposed between the duct 15 and the reduced area portion 14 a disk 17 which is provided with one or more orifices in size depending upon the specific gravity and the viscosity of the oil to be burned. For two oils of the same specific gravity but difierent viscosities, the one with the lower viscosity will require the smaller orifice; and if a greater consumption of oil is required than can be supplied by one orifice for a given pressure on the oil, two or more of such orifices may be utilized. However, in the present instance, but a single orifice 18 is indicated. The disk 17, furthermore, is rigidly held in position by the oil base 11 and discharges directly into the reduced area portion 14 of the passagewa 1 through cylinder 10.

About t e latter, also, is provided an air supplying jacket or chamber 20 surrounding the inner portion of the passageway 13 and terminal portion 14 thereof; and-air or a mixture of air and gas, or solely as, under the required pressure is supplied t ereto from a suitable source (not shown) as through the pipe 21. B the term air as hereinafter used throughout the specification and claims, it is, therefore, to be understood that in the use of this term 1i do not limit myself to air as the gaseous medium,

Chamber 20, moreover, is designed to communicate both with the passageway portion 14 and the passageway 13, in the former instance by means of one or more series of radially directed ports 22 passing throu h cylinder 10 and located immediately adjacent the disk l7,causing jets of air under pressure to concentrate centrally and impinge upon the oil issuing through the orifice 18 to break up the same, the mixture then being carried axially along the passageway 13. The reduction in area of passageway as at 14 is provided for the purpose of preventing premature expansion of these air jets to obtaina positive impact of the same on the jet of fuel;

ut for smaller capacity burners may be of the same diameter as the remaining portion v In its travel axially along this passageway the mixture of liquid and air meets with further air jets delivered through sets of ports 23 and 24, respectively, which in this instance are directed from the air chamber 20 tangentially into the passagewa 13 and the air from one set being deliver in a direction opposite to that delivered by the other set so that whirls in opposite directions will take place, the turbulence created thereb effecting a thorough mixing of the oil an air.

The free passage of this mixture to the nozzle member, however, is not permitted; but a series of disk members is interposed in the passa eway 13 to provide further expansion cham rs along the same, the number of such disks and corresponding expansion chambers de ending upon the character of the oil utilized. As indicated, three disks 25, 26 and 27 are provided, the last being located immediately ahead of the nozzle member 12 and is provided with a single outlet orifice 28 dis charging through said nozzle or cap member.

- The character of the flame desired will, of

course, be determined by the outlet orifice 28; and it will be understood that the same ma assume various shapes and sizes, and the (list! as well may be constructed of a number of orifices.

The disks may conveniently be assembled in the cylinder 10 by shouldering the innermost one against said cylinder and utilizin intermediate sleeve members 25 and 26' hel in position by the final disk 27 and the nozzle or cap member 12. The other disks may have one or more orifices, as the orifices 29 and 30 respectively, which should be small enough to insure proper atomization and with the aggregate area of the preceding set of orifices 1n the direction of flow always less to secure a pressure drop along the passageway. The term disk as used in the specification and claims is to be understood as referring to a plate as thin as consistent with the required strength; and the term orifice to a perforation in a thin disk, the diameter of the rforation being relatively ,small in comparison with the diameter of the disk. When there is more than one orifice in a disk, then the diameter of the orifice is relatively small as compared to the diameter of the area of the surface of the disk immediately surrounding said orifice. The passageway 13 is thus subdivided by these disks into a succession of pressure chambers and the same serve to successively atomize the mixture of air and oil which expands into said chambers as it proceeds along the burner toward the nozzle, whereby a very effective atomization is obtained; and when the finel subdivided oil issues from the said nozzle the spray may readily be ignited in any well-known manner, as by means of a gas ilot flame, electric ignition means or merely y an ignited mass of oil-soaked waste. After the combustion chamber is sufiiciently swam 1. Ali uid fuelburner, comprising a-body member aving a longitudinal passageway therethrou h, with fuel orifice constructed and locate at one end thereof to supply fuel to the burners, a casin about said body portion aflordin an air c amber adapted to receive air an er pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports spaced around the circumference of the airchamber and extending therefrom to the fuel supply end of the passageway located to concentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel issuing from said orifice and with further sets of circumferentially disposed ports affording additional communication between the air chamber and the passageway, and a succession of disk members having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said ports into pressure chambers of successively lesser pressure values.

2. A liquid fuel burner, comprising a body member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, with fuel orifice constructed and located at one end thereof to supply fuel to the burner and with a portion of reduced area immediately beyond said orifice, a casing-about said body portion affording an air chamber adapted to receive air under pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports from said air chamberto the passageway portion of reduced area located to concentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel issuin from said orifice and with further sets of ports affording additional communication between the air chamber and the passageway, and a succession of disk members having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said ports into pressure chambers of .'successively lesser pressure values.

3. A liquid fuel burner,'comprising a body member having a longitudinal passageway therethrou h, with fuel orifice constructed and locate at one end thereof to supply fuel to the burners, a casin about said body portion affording an air c amber adapted to receive air under pressure and the said body portion being provided with radially directed ports from said air chamber to the fuel supply end of the passageway located to concentrate a plurality of jets ofair upon the fuel issuin from said orifice and with further sets of ports affording additional comtea e376 munication between the air chamber and the passageway, and a succession of disk memers having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said ports into pressure chambers of successively lesser pressure values.

4. A liquid fuel burner, comprising a body member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, with fuel orifice constructed and located at one end thereof to supply fuel 4 passageway located to deliver series of tanfgentially directed jets of air in opposite directions thereinto, and a succession of disk members having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said ports into pressure chambers of successively lesser pressure values.

5. A liquid fuel burner, comprising a body member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, with fuel orifice constructed and located at one end thereof to supply fuel to the burners, a nozzle member located at the opposite end of the passageway, a casing about said body portion afiording an air chamber adapted to receive air under pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports from said air chamber to the fuel supply end of the passageway located toconcentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel issuin from said orifice and with further sets 0 ports affording additional communication between the air chamber and the passageway, a succession of disk members having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said bers of successive y lesser pressure values, and a disk immediately ahead of said nozzle member and provided with an orifice discharging. from the last pressure chamber through the nozzle. I

6. A liquid fuel burner,-comprising a body member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, with fuel orifice constructed and located at one end thereof to supply fuel to the burners, a removable nozzle member with flaring outlet and located at'the opposite end offthe passageway, a casing about said body portion affording an air chamber issuin sets 0 ports affording additional communiadapted to receive air under pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports from said air chamber to the fuel supply end of the passageway located to concentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel from said orifice and with further orts into pressure chamthe I mem' rs having orifices and subdividing the cation between the air chamber and the assagewa a succession of disk members avbeyond said orts into pressure chambers of successively esser pressure values, and a disk immediately ahead of said nozzle member and provided with an orifice discharging from the last pressure chamber through the nozzle.

7, A liluid fuel burner, comprising a body member aving a. longitudinal passageway ing or' ces and subdividing the passageway 1 i therethrou h, with fuel orifice constructed and loca to the burners, aremovable nozzle member located at the opposite end of the passageway, a casing about said body portion afi'ording an air chamber adapted to receive air under pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports from said air chamber to the fuel supply end of the passageway located to concentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel issuing from said orifice and with further sets of ports afiording addi tional communication between the air cham ber and the passageway, a succession of disk members having orifices and subdividing the passageway beyond said orts into pressure chambers ofsuccessive y lesser pressure values, the innermost disk being shouldered against thebody portion, and intermediate sleeve members spacing said disks, the final one of which is to be engaged by the nozzle member located to hold the assembly of disks and sleeve members in position.

8. A li uid fuel burner, comprising a body member aving a longitudinal passageway at one end thereof to supply fuel therethrough, a disk at one' end of said passageway having an orifice through which fuel may be supplied to the passageway, a casing about said body portion afi'ordin an air chamber adapted to receive air un er pressure and the said body portion being provided with ports from said air chamber to the fuel supply and of the passageway located to concentrate a plurality of jets of air upon the fuel issuin from said orifice and with further sets 0 ports affording additional communication between the. air chamber and assageway, and a succession of disk passageway beyond'said ports into pressure chambers of successively lesser pressure values. a

9 The method of atomization of liquids, which comprises directing air jets to a stream of fluid substantially at its point of issue,

whirling the mixture by a series of further jets of air, and then successively expanding the said mixture.

10. The method of atomization of liquids, which comprises directing air jets perpendicularly to a stream of fluid substantially at its point of issue, whirling the mixture by a series of further jets of air, and then successively expanding the said mixture.

11. The method of atomization of liquids, which comprises directing air jets perpendicularly to a stream of fluid substantially at its point of issue, whirling the mixture by 3 a series of tangentially directed jets of air, and then successively expanding the saidmixture.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature.

ARLES O. GUNTHEB. 

